Morley Spinet for Sale
The Noticeboard has been updated with details of a Morley Spinet for Sale in Ashburton, Devon. See the Noticeboard for full details.
Workshop for Voices and Instruments
Directed by Matt Kingston St. John’s Church, West Bay, 22nd September 2018 It was a dull, sea-misty sort of day on 22nd September at West Bay, Dorset this year, but spring arrived when the assembled company of three dozen singers and … Read More
Diary Editor’s Report – December 2018
There is always much to enjoy in the music of the festive season. Much of the best is early music, often partnered by contemporary pieces inspired by those forebears. The SWEMF new year will get off to a good start … Read More
Chair’s Report – December 2018
Regular readers will recall that in our June Diary, I gave some details of the Bristol Early Music Festival being planned for next May at All Saints Church, Pembroke Road, Clifton. Arrangements have been proceeding over the intervening months, and … Read More
Submit an Event to SWEMF
The website now includes the facility to submit events you think may be of interest to SWEMF members. Events will be reviewed for suitability before they are published to the site.
Wales Early Music Forum Cymru
Until recently, Wales had no Early Music Forum of its own. Wales Early Music Forum Cymru has been launched to remedy this! The inaugural workshop of the new Forum was held on 6 October in Sennybridge near Brecon – a … Read More
Authenticity: a few thoughts in relation to art
As the debates about authentic musical performance still go on, and we are now encouraged to use the term ‘historically informed’ to describe performances of early music which reach for authenticity, I reach for a hard hat as I attempt … Read More
Bath SRP Singing and Playing Day
Directed by Graham Coatman St. Luke’s Church Bath, 7th July 2018 Splendours of la Serenissima – Lo Sposalizio del Mare Singing and Playing day for singers and players of recorders and other instruments, hosted by the Bath Society of Recorder Players. … Read More
Joint Meeting with the Viola da Gamba Society
Directed by Jonathan Rees Bristol Music Club, 17th June 2018 This meeting was something of an experiment for SWEMF, since it’s the first time we have put on a workshop jointly with another organisation. Quite a few SWEMF members also belong to … Read More
The Nine Days’ Wonder
A Workshop for Voices and Instruments directed by Alison Kinder Backwell, 9th June 2018 Many people know the story of William Kemp, the clown with the big ego who Morris-danced (‘daunced’) his way from London to Norwich in nine days; … Read More
Diary Editor’s Report – September 2018
What a sweltering summer! My family and I are coming to the end of our sabbatical in Cambridge, where there has been no let-up and almost no rain for months. I’ve learnt to be like Greek island women, getting up early and doing … Read More
Chair’s Report – September 2018
Looking back over the list of past workshops, one cannot help noticing that most of the repertoire we cover is from the Renaissance and early Baroque. This is perhaps not surprising, since works from that period are more suited to the kind of … Read More
Monteverdi Madrigals
A workshop for voices directed by Tim Mirfin Thorverton, 28th April 2018 This was difficult music, and the 42 singers who attended St Thomas of Canterbury at Thorverton, under Tim Mirfin’s enlightening direction and Becky Stannard’s excellent organization, had to … Read More
Music for Renaissance Wind Instruments
Workshop directed by Tim Bayley Gloucester Cathedral, 21st April 2018 A whole day of playing ‘Loud Wind’ instruments: Shawms, Curtals, Cornetti, Sackbuts, Crumhorns; for some this would sound like hell, for others like heaven. When these instruments were first around … Read More
New Publication for Recorders, Viols and Other Instruments
Consort Music from the court of Maximilian I A complete edition of National Library of Austria, Ms. 18 810 A new, unique edition by viol & recorder player David Hatcher of this important manuscript, containing 86 pieces in 3, 4 & 5 parts by many of … Read More
Presented with Passion: Church Music by Schütz
A workshop for singers and continuo directed by Peter Syrus Glastonbury, 3rd February 2018 When the leader of a day’s workshop on Schütz tells you that he ‘hates’ virtually all four-part choral works, it can make you wonder if you’ve … Read More
Baroque Chamber Music Playing Day
A workshop for Instruments Cheddar, 14th October 2017 We had fewer applicants for this event this year probably due to the fact that, being in October, the date coincided with other events. However, 16 players had a very enjoyable day … Read More
O What Evil is War!
A workshop for voices and instruments on the music of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) – directed by Gawain Glenton Keynsham, 23rd September 2017 This was the first workshop run by Gawain for SWEMF, but all of us present hope it … Read More
Renaissance Polyphony: A Singers’ Study Day
Workshop directed by Peter Leech Yatton, 8th July 2017 St Mary’s, Yatton, a few miles south of Bristol, is a venue worth revisiting; it has good facilities, reasonable parking, and is easily accessible for many members. Peter Leech is a … Read More
A Polychoral Tour of Europe
Workshop directed by Alison Kinder Thornbury, 17th June 2017 NB: where voice parts are indicated below — SATB etc. — these are the composers’ original voicings, not necessarily as we performed the works, with instruments replacing voices rather than doubling! … Read More
The Music of Josquin and Brumel
Workshop directed by William Carslake Corsham, 20th May 2017 Corsham’s magnificent Georgian Town Hall was the setting for the SWEMF Workshop for Singers on May 20th. On the menu, a feast of favourites by Josquin, Mouton, Pierre de la Rue … Read More
Music of the Spanish Golden Age
Workshop directed by Frances Eustace West Bay, 25th March 2017 A glorious spring day in March, bright sunshine sparkling on the sea, wind whipping the trees around, we gathered in West Bay for a day of music from the Spanish … Read More
Music for Renaissance Wind Instruments
Workshop directed by Tim Bayley Gloucester, 4th March 2017 A goodly mixed band of recorders, shawms, dulcians, a sackbut and even a great bass crumhorn, met in the Parliament Room, Gloucester Cathedral, on Saturday 4th March 2017 under the excellent, … Read More
Refashioning in the Golden Age of English Church Music
‘Something Borrowed…’ Refashioning in the Golden Age of English Church Music – Workshop for voices directed by Peter Syrus St Mary’s Church, Glastonbury, 28th January 2017 This intriguing title attracted 34 singers to the church hall of St Mary’s, Glastonbury … Read More